he close of the 6th century B.C. Simonides wrote a
dithyramb on Memnon and Tithonus; Pindar, on Orion and on Heracles. Hence
the Alexandrian scholars used [Greek: dithurambos] in a wide sense, as
denoting simply a lyric poem occupied with a mythical narrative. Thus Ode
xvii. of Bacchylides (relating the voyage of Theseus to Crete), though it
was clearly a [Greek: paian] for the Delian Apollo, was classed by the
Alexandrians among his "dithyrambs"--as appears not only from its place in
our MS., but also from the allusion of Servius (on _Aen_. vi. 21). The six
dithyrambs of Bacchylides are arranged in (approximately) alphabetical
order: [Greek: Antenoridai, Herakles, Eitheoi e Theseus, Theseus, Io,
Idas]. The principal feature, best exemplified by the first and third, is
necessarily epic narrative,--often adorned with touches of picturesque
detail, and animated by short speeches in the epic manner.

Several other classes of composition are represented by those fragments of
Bacchylides, preserved in ancient literature, which were known before the
discovery of the new MS. (1) [Greek: humnoi]. Among these we hear of the
[Greek: apopemptikoi], hymns of pious farewell, speeding some god on his
way at the season when he passed from one haunt to another. (2) [Greek:
paianes], represented by the well-known fragment on the blessings of peace.
(3) [Greek: prosodia], choral odes sung during processions to temples. (4)
[Greek: huporchemata], lively dance-songs for religious festivals. (5)
[Greek: erotika], represented by five fragments of a class akin to [Greek:
skolia], drinking-songs. Under this head come some lively and humorous
verses on the power of wine, imitated by Horace (_Odes_, iii. 21. 13-20).
It may be conjectured that the facile grace and bright fancy of Bacchylides
were seen to especial advantage in light compositions of this kind. (6) The
elegiacs of Bacchylides are represented by two [Greek: epigrammata
anathematika], each of four lines, in the Palatine Anthology. The first
(_Anth_. vi. 313) is an inscription for an offering commemorative of a
victory gained by a chorus with a poem written by Bacchylides. The second
(_Anth_. vi. 53) is an inscription for a shrine dedicated to Zephyrus. Its
authenticity has been questioned, but not disproved.

The papyrus containing the odes of Bacchylides was found in Egypt by
natives, and reached the British Museum in the autumn of 1896. It was then
in about 200 pieces. By the skill a